Season 6: The Final Chapter
by Spider-Matt
Summary: The final season of Spider-Man: TAS continues with the fourth episode. Kingpin is getting antsy about the brewing gang war while Daredevil, Black Cat, and Spider-Man make some startling discoveries about who they're up against.
1. Welcome Home

**_EXCITING NEWS:_** www.spideytas.cjb.net is up! It has special features to go along with this series. I recommend reading these there. There are pictures and short video clips if you're able to handle the download. I hope you enjoy the site and the rest of the final season of Spider-Man: The Animated Series!

Spider-Man: TAS

Season 6:  The Final Chapter

Episode 1: Welcome Home

Spider-Man stood upon the rooftop looking over the city he knew so well and had grown to love.  He contemplated what had happened over the past few minutes.  Mary Jane was still alive, Spider-Man was told.  Madam Web promised to find Mary Jane for him, yet Madam Web had just left and now Spider-Man stood overlooking the city a bit confused.  He had just saved the universe, and all he wanted to do was go home and sleep next to his beautiful wife, despite the fact the woman he married was a clone.

"Welcome home, Spider-Man," Madam Web had said when they appeared on the typical New York building.  "I made sure Mary Jane made her way home safely, although her return has come with sacrifice.  It's one I'm sure you would have made had I told you about it."

Then the woman was gone.  The woman who had confused, helped, and simultaneously intensely annoyed the webbed wonder was gone, out of his life to never return.

Spider-Man looked down at the street just below.  He smiled as he watched people busily carry on their everyday lives, and Peter had to wonder what it must be like to be so innocent and oblivious to the truly complex universe around him.  Not that he had all the answers.  Peter had never pretended he really knew what was going on, but he had certainly been through a lot more than the average person.  That's the conclusion he came to, at any rate.

It didn't take long for people to realize whom the figure was standing above them.  A faint ecstatic cry calling, "Spidey!" reached Spider-Man's ears.  Peter smiled beneath his mask as he thought how great it feels to be welcomed home.

"Time to find my wife," Spider-Man said to himself.  "Although, I might have a though time explaining that fact to her…  I hope she's okay with it…  I think I'm in for a long day."

Spider-Man leaped off the building and shot out a web.  Nothing had changed.  The pure exhilaration of web-swinging across the New York skyline remained the same as it was before Spidey had been across the universe and back again.

As Spider-Man began to relax, despite the polluted air he had to acclimate to once more, a sharp warning via spider-sense sent a jolt through Spidey's brain.  _Not now_, Spider-Man complained with a thought.  _For the love of God, not now._

Spidey glance back as a green blur sped overhead and snapped Spider-Man's web-line.

"It seems that it's impossible to be rid of you," whined the unmistakable voice.  Of course, the voices of all Spider-Man's mainstream villains were now unmistakable to him.  He could identify the voice of any villain he's fought more than once, and this voice distinctly belonged to…

"Vulture!  You realize that I'm not going away, yet you're so persistent."  Spider-Man had done an summersault through the air and now stuck to the side of a building, which drew the attention from onlookers not only from below, but also from nearby windows.

"I'm not going to get into a quarrel with you.  Not now, anyway," Vulture explained.  He was standing on a roof and now spread his wings to begin flight.

"You're the one who snapped _my_ web.  I'm afraid I can't let that slide.  That's disturbing the peace.  And I was beginning to get very comfortable."

"I don't care what you were doing, but you should know that I'm out of the crime business.  I'm going about my own ways now.  I have my youth, I'm no longer interested in anything else?"

"Then what's with the flying?  Do you really need those wings anymore?" Spidey wisely inquired.

"There's a small matter I need to take care of," Vulture replied.  "But I'm done with crime!"

"Then you won't mind if I take those big bulky wings off your hands.  Literally!"  Spider-Man propelled himself off the wall with as a threatening advance on his greed garbed opponent.

"Why do you continue to peruse me?" the vulture wailed as he soared off.

"Superhero duties.  I can't neglect those, although I doubt it'd affect my salary if I did.  Besides, just because you stopped committing crimes, doesn't mean you get off for the ones you committed earlier."

"I don't' have time for this!" the vulture continued to complained.

"Neither do I.  So let's make this quick."  Spidey made another leap at his adversary, but was greeted with an unexpected attack.

His spider-sense blared, but there was nothing the wall-crawler could do as his chin collided with the Vulture's foot.  Spider-Man groaned and began to fall.  The flying super villain didn't give his wily adversary a chance to recover.  Vulture scooped Spidey up and raced to the top of the building where a water tower lay.  Vulture smiled as he ensured he had a good grip on the hero's leg, and then he spun Spider-Man around before releasing the leg to let Spidey soar through the top of the water tower.  Vulture flew away cackling while Spider-Man was left to debate how to escape his new predicament.

"Why water?  I hate it when my suit gets wet.  By the end of the day it starts to smell and grow mold…  Eck!  For once, I'd like a villain that respects my preferred way of getting smacked around."

Spider-Man swam over to the side and tried to stick.

"Great.  The sides are too wet.  I can't stick."  Spidey let out a sigh followed by a reluctant decision.  "I guess I'm going to have to do this the hard way."

Spider-Man swam to the bottom of the tower.  He turned upright so his feet were touching the water-covered floor, then he propelled himself upward, through the hole made by his initial impact.  Spidey perched himself on the side of the building top wile he whipped out the yellow handheld device used to trace his spider-tracers.  _Glad I stuck one of my trusty tracers on that birdbrain.  He should be easy to track now!_  Then he shot a web and swung away. 

"Spider-Man, Spider-Man.  Does whatever a spider can," Spider-Man sang.  "That sure was a catchy tune I heard in that Stan Lee guy's world.  I should copyright it in this world as Peter Parker and make millions.  Nah, I wouldn't even know what to do with that kind of money.  Besides, I'd feel guilty.  Remember, kids, plagiarism is a crime!  Who am I talking to?  I really need to get my own TV show."

The Vulture swooped down to the ground once he reached his destination.  He looked up and smiled at the large letters that spelled out OSCORP.

"Before I leave this wretched city, I want you to fall before the might of your true superior, Osborn."  With that, Vulture burst through the doors yelling at the top of his lungs for Osborn to come out and play.

Workers started to scatter about, mostly making for various exits.  Eventually Harry Osborn, the new owner since his father's disappearance, came out of his office to see what the commotion was all about.

"Osborn!" the Vulture cried as he swooped down to meet his loathed enemy.  Then he realized who he was looking at.  "No!  You're not the Osborn I want!  Where's your father?  Where's that scumbag, Norman?"

"My father is gone.  I am now the owner of Oscorp," Harry explained.

"Very well then," Vulture said followed by a sigh.  "I'll have to settle for you."

An expression of horror quickly crossed Harry's face as the Vulture advanced.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man was swinging as fast as he could across the Big Apple skyline.  He didn't want to waste any more time than he had to.  There was one crucial stop he had to make.  He neared the ESU science building and smiled with glee.

_It feels to good to be home_, Spider-Man thought.  He landed outside the window belonging to Doctor Connor's office.  _I hope the good doctor still has what I need._

Spider-Man crawled in through the window.  The lights were off and no one was around.

_Oh well.  Good thing I know where he keeps the thing._  Spider-Man proceeded over to the light switches and flicked them on.  He moved to a cabinet that happened to be locked.  _Ah!  Now this is getting annoying._  He broke the lock and opened the two flimsy metal doors.  _I'll pay him back…sometime…maybe…if I ever get my hand on some money._

Once the cabinet was open, Spidey searched through the different shelves until he found the device he was looking for.

_Excellent_, he thought.  _It's still like I remember it.  Though I don't know how I expected something like this to change._

Within a few seconds, the lights were off, the window was closed, and Spider-Man was quickly making his way in the direction of the Vulture.

The Vulture made a dive at Harry Osborn.  Harry ducked and barely made it out of harms way.

"If I can't have your father's head on a platter I'm going to make sure you can't carry on the plague that is the Osborn gene," Vulture ranted.

"Can't we all just get along?" called a voice from behind.

The Vulture stopped his attack on the young business owner, but not willingly.  There was a strand of webbing stuck to his back.

"You again?" cried Vulture.

"An astute observation," Spidey retorted as he jumped down from the window so to allow his foot to meet Vulture's jaw.  The Vulture let out an "umph" before stumbling back then taking the air again.

"Sorry, Vulture.  But I've decided to take away your flying privileges."  Spider-Man reached for his utility belt he wore under his costume shirt.  He whipped out a gray handheld device with a clearly marked red button.  Spidey's webbed finger hit the button and the Vulture fell wailing to the ground.

"What have you done?!" the vulture whimpered.

"That's simple, you cringing carnivorous dolt!" Spider-Man said, proud of his new discovery.  "This thing is an anti-magnetic inverter.  I always had a hunch that your flying had something to do with magnetism; it just took me a while to put that knowledge to use."

Spider-Man slipped the wings off the Vulture's arms and snapped them over his knee.  Then he said, "There we go.  Don't plan on flying any time soon."

Harry was looking on with a confused look.

"You okay, Osborn?" Spider-Man asked.

"Peter?" Harry said.  "Is that you?"

"Uh, no.  I think you have me confused with a photographer," Spider-Man said before taking off out the window.  Harry had called after him with no response.

_I'm sorry, Harry_, Spider-Man thought while swinging once again.  _You may never make sense of some of the things in your past.  At least, I hope you don't.  Otherwise, you'll know who I am and that could be dangerous information._

Suddenly, a figure in the distance could be seen waving to him.  Spider-Man prayed it wasn't another adversary, because he just wanted to go home.  However, once he was close enough, the figure started to take a feminine form, and Spidey immediately guessed whom it was.

"Hello, Spider," the so familiar voice greeted as Spider-Man landed beside the black leather clad woman.

"Hey, Cat," Spidey greeted back.  "How are things with you?  Aren't you supposed to be off somewhere with Morbious and Blade."

The Black Cat sighed as she brushed back her platinum blonde hair.  "Vampire hunting gets old so quick."  Then her eyes met the blank stare coming from Spider-Man's expressionless mask.  "Do you ever miss me, Spider?  I mean all that we shared?"

"It wasn't much, Cat.  I…"

"Spider, I love you.  I've always loved you."  She lifted the bottom of Spidey's mask and kissed him.  Spidey let her, just as he let her do the same thing during the Secret Wars.  He wished he could have resisted, but he still had feelings for her.  They weren't as strong as his feelings for Mary Jane, though.  He had to remind himself of this constantly and he did so now.

Spider-Man pulled away and said, "Cat, I care for you a lot.  I really do.  It's just that…  There are weird things going on in my life now.  I…"

"We never did get around to taking our masks off, Spider," Cat interrupted.

"Stop interrupting me.  I have to…"

"It's okay if you don't want to show me your face, Spider.  I respect that.  But I want you to know who I am."  Before Spider-Man could object, Black Cat's mask was off and she morphed back to her common alias.  She now had normal blonde hair and Spider-Man was stunned.

"Felicia!  How… What?"  Spider-Man was too stunned to say anything more.

"You must know how much I love you, now.  I've loved for so long and…"

"I can't do this.  I can't get involved with you," Spidey broke in.  "I…  I'm sorry, I have to go."

Felicia's sigh let Spider-Man know she was hoping for more, but there was nothing he could do about it.  Spidey flipped into the air calling back, "We'll talk later."  It was time to go home.

Peter made it back home and changed back into his normal, everyday clothes.  His "civvies," he often referred to them as, which was short for civilian clothes.  Not knowing how long he had been gone, or if according to this world he had been gone at all, Peter decided it would be wise to not walk downstairs calling, "Hi, I'm home!"

So he crawled back out the window and walked around front.  Just before his hand reached the doorknob that he had turned so many times before since he had lived there in Queens, he turned his head left to see the woman he loved standing there.

"Mary Jane," Peter breathed.  He could hardly believe what he was seeing.  Perhaps he never really expected to have her back.  But there she was.  Peter knew it was she.  For some reason, a feeling deep inside assured him that the woman standing no more than ten yards away was not a clone.

"Mary Jane!" Peter said once more, with clear ecstasy this time.  He left the doorstep and ran up to the beautiful redhead and kissed her.  It was a long kiss, and one Peter dreamt about every night since the clone evaporated and Mary Jane disappeared for the second time in his life.

"Peter," Mary Jane said as she pushed away with her hands to Peter's chest.  "I'm happy to see you, but where have I been.  I don't know what's going on.  I just appeared at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, which was the last place I remembered before…"

"Mary Jane, I think we need to have a talk," Peter said.  He put his arm around MJ's shoulders and they went for a walk together.

To be continued… 


	2. The Boys Are Back In Town

Spider-Man: TAS

Season 6:  The Final Chapter

Episode 2: The Boys Are Back In Town

Peter Parker and Mary Jane sat inside their apartment.  The apartment Mary Jane doesn't recollect ever being in, much less sharing it with someone.  As far as anyone other than Peter knew, Mary Jane was still missing after being kidnapped by Hydroman.  However, that Mary Jane was merely a clone.  A clone married Peter Parker, a clone found out Peter was secretly the masked adventurer known as Spider-Man, and a clone would probably have had Peter's babies if she hadn't evaporated.  Now, the real Mary Jane Watson (Parker?) must discover everything she's missed.

"We're married?!"  Mary Jane was too startled to say anything else for a few moments.  Peter had answered with an assuring "yes," but MJ hadn't heard.  She couldn't believe what happened.  She not only had a clone, but for the brief time it had existed, it had completely bungled up her life.  Not that she didn't want to marry Peter, lord knows she did.  She just wanted to marry the man she loved herself.

"MJ" Peter snapped his fingers a few times.  "Are you okay?"

"Uhh…  Well, no.  No, I'm not fine.  I might never get to marry you, now."

"We are married," Peter explained.

"No we're not!" Mary Jane snapped.  "You're married to my dead clone.  I love you Peter and I want to _be_ at our wedding."

"Ah…"  Peter understood now.  He had no idea how to explain this to MJ's Aunt Anna or to Aunt May.  "I have no idea how to explain this to people when we throw another wedding."

"Did the first one suck?" Mary Jane asked enthusiastically.

"No, I don't think…" Then Peter thought back on the wedding.  Memories of the Green Goblin, the Scorpion, Fisk and his robot, and the exceptionally flirtatious Black Cat flooded Peter's mind.  "Yeah, it sucked."

"Great!  As long as it was a disaster we can have another wedding.  What happened last time?"

"Well…  Remember before I started to tell you this story that there were a couple mind-boggling things I had to tell you?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, the marriage was only the first one," Peter explained.  "What happened at the wedding is tied into the other thing I have to tell you."

"Which is?" MJ asked, eager to know what Peter was circumventing.

Peter sighed and decided it was best to get the news off his shoulder now.  He didn't want to keep Mary Jane guessing where he disappeared to all the time if they were to live as a married couple.

"I'm Spider-Man," Peter said quickly.  He felt relieved and sick at the same time.  He had no clue how Mary Jane would react or if she believed him.  Her quick smile made Peter decide the latter definitely had something to do with what was going to happen.

"I know that," Mary Jane said after choking down a laugh.  She didn't want to make Peter feel stupid.

"You what?!"  It was Peter's turn to be astonished.  "What do you mean you…  What?!"

"Come on, Peter.  You don't honestly think that the whole time we dated I put up with your constant disappearing act without knowing the reason, do you?"

"Well the thought had crossed my mind," Peter told her.

"I've known since Harry and I were dating.  I never wanted to get close to you because you always put your life on the line.  I didn't want to get hurt.  I didn't want to love a man who had a high risk of dying every day.  But I did love you and I love you now.  So we dated and now… I guess we're married."

Peter stared out the window contemplatively.  _She knew?  She knew…  Huh.  _He scratched his head.  "You knew?"

Mary Jane laughed, which provoked a smile from Peter.  They shared another kiss.

"So how did your aunt take the news that you're home?" Peter asked.

"I haven't been home, Peter.  I saw you when I was about to walk in."

"You haven't been home?"

"Yes, I cleared that up."

"Madam Web said…"

"I've heard enough about this Madam Web character.  As well as that Black Cat woman.  How many women have you been with as Spider-Man?"

"What?  No, it's not like that.  I…"

MJ let out another laugh.

"Peter, relax.  I'm just kidding."  They smiled as they gazed into each other's eyes.  They were both genuinely happy, something neither of them had felt in quite some time.  "Let's go home, Peter."

As they walked out the door, Mary Jane said, "So what happened at the wedding?"

"Well, remember the Green Goblin?" Peter asked, realizing it was a dumb question.

"Do you expect me to forget with out Alzheimer's?"

"I suppose not.  Well his son took up the mantel afterwards and decided to ruin Spidey's big day."

The two reached the stairs.  There was a long pause.

"Well," Mary Jane said.  "Who was Green Goblin to begin with?"

"Heh…"  Peter felt a little nervous.  "Walk with me."

They continued walking and talking.

Peter had pretty much finished explaining the Osborn/goblin legacy when they reached the house of Mary Jane's Aunt Anna.  Mary Jane was shocked but managed to save all the questions for later.

MJ rang the doorbell and when the door opened, Anna nearly passed out in joy.  Instead of passing out, however, she gave her niece a big hug and actually went as far as to invite Peter in.  Perhaps it was because Peter's Aunt May was over there as well, though.

"May, look.  Mary Jane is back and well," Anna exclaimed.

May smiled and asked, "What happened to you two?"

"Well," Peter began, "It's a long story, but Spider-Man ended up saving both of us from Morris Bench in the end."

"Well, it's wonderful to have you both back," Anna said.

Peter was shocked.  Perhaps his wife's aunt was finally beginning warm up to him now that she notices how much he and MJ love each other.  The last time he had talked to Anna Watson was during an argument about putting MJ's life in danger.  Anna had blamed Peter for the kidnapping, but apparently her ideals have changed since Peter's outburst on how much he loved Mary Jane and would do anything to keep her out of harm's way.

They all sat down in the living room and talked for a while before switching on the tube.  There on the news was live footage of the Rhino and Shocker tearing up Manhattan.  Peter leaped to his feet.

"I…  I have to get down there.  Mr. Jameson will have my hide if I don't bring him some news photos.  Especially since he hasn't seen me in a while."  Peter ran out the door before anyone could voice questions or objections.

Within ten minutes Spider-Man was ready for another slugfest with his good old-fashioned villain duo.

Spider-Man landed in front of the two criminals before they blew anything else up.  There were already buildings and automobiles on fire.  Not to mention all of the glass and broken concrete that now covered the ground.

"It's nice to see a long lasting relationship these days.  They say those celebrity relationships never work out," Spidey mocked.

"Very funny, wall-crawler," Shocker hissed.  "I heard you were back in town, punk.  That's not going to make the Kingpin happy, though.  Hopefully I can rectify that problem right now.  Charge 'im, Rhino."

Rhino bent forward and prepared to run before being interrupted.

"Wait a minute.  Hold up.  Shocker says _he's _going to get rid of me before demanding that _you,_ Rhino, charge me.  Does that make any sense?  I mean, you both work for Kingpin, right?  I assume you both have the same wages."

"He gets paid a little more," Rhino pointed out, gesturing towards Shocker.

"Does that give him the right to tell you what to do?" Spidey asked the question Rhino found quite perplexing.  Nevertheless, Rhino came up with an answer he liked.

"No…  I don't think it does."  Rhino turned towards Shocker.

"What are you doing, you idiot.  He's trying to turn us against each other," Shocker yelled.  "Rhino, don't…!"

Before Shocker had a chance to do anything, Rhino had punched him out.

"Now I'm going to wipe the floor with you, bug."

"Arachnid, buddy.  A spider is an arachnid," Spider-Man astutely pointed out.

"Don't try any of that wise-guy stuff on me, Spider-Man.  I ain't gonna listen.  Lucky for you, I didn't like Shocker, anyway."

Rhino charged.  Spidey dodged, naturally, and that was how it went for the next ten minutes before Spider-Man decided that this course of action was ludicrous and going nowhere.  Then Shocker woke up.

"Okay.  Now you're both going to fry," Shocker screamed in angst.

"Take your time Shocker" Spider-Man said as he back flipped onto a wall.  Rhino hit that wall hard and Spidey fell but managed to shoot off a web before he was within his adversary's grasp.  

Spider-Man landed between Shocker and Rhino so when his spider-sense blared, jumping up was a natural move for Spidey.

Shocker's blast had set off the spider-sense and that blast hit Rhino and stunned him for a movement.  But only for a moment.  Shocker went berserk and started blasting this way and that but hit everything except for his opponent.  To keep out of the way, Spider-Man was doing flips on the ground, jumping off walls, and swinging around streetlights.  Suddenly the blasting stopped.

Spider-Man glanced down from his perch at the top of a streetlight.  Down below was a vigilante entirely garbed in red with Shocker lying at his feet.

"Horn head!" Spidey exclaimed.  "Long time no see."

"I heard these guys are working for Kingpin," Daredevil called up.  "I think it's about time we finished what we started the last time we met."

"I think you're right," Spider-Man agreed.  Then the streetlight fell after Rhino had hit it.

Spider-Man leaped to safety then quickly said, "Daredevil!  Do you think you can keep these clowns occupied for a little bit?  I have an idea, but I need to take off for a few minutes."

"Make it quick web-head," Daredevil said as he jumped out of Rhino's way.  "Don't forget I'm not quite as strong as you."

"Don't worry, horn head.  Strength doesn't do much against Rhino, anyway."  With that, Spider-Man took off.

Spider-Man raced once again to the ESU science lab.  He knew what he had to do and produced a new batch of webbing in fifteen minutes.  Daredevil had been alone with the two villains for twenty-five minutes now.  He hoped they guy was holding out okay.  There was no time to check the news.  Once the webbing was finished, he took off and arrived in time to keep Daredevil from having to be alone with the two rogues for a thirty-eighth minute.

Daredevil was on the ground about to be blasted away by Shocker when Spidey arrived.  Spider-Man kicked Shocker to the ground and helped Daredevil up.

"Thanks for making it quick," snapped Daredevil.

"No problem," Spider-Man retorted.  "Take care of Shocker.  I hit him pretty hard so you shouldn't have too much work left to do.  I'll take care of Rhino."

The Rhino charged once more.  "I'm not going back to jail, Spider-Man," Rhino wailed.  "I won't be arrested again!"

"I'm afraid you will be," Spider-Man said, unconcerned about the threatening advance being made by Rhino.  Spidey lifted his arms and covered Rhino head to toe in webbing.  The Rhino slowed down.

"What's happenin' to me.  What'd you do?" Rhino cried.  His costume was disintegrating before his eyes.

"I just concocted a highly caustic web-fluid to get rid of that suit of yours.  I guess that takes care of your strength, eh?"

With one punch, the once powerful Rhino fell.  Spider-Man changed web-cartridges and webbed the near naked man (Rhino still had boxers on) from a streetlight.  Then Spider-Man turned to see Daredevil punch Shocker down to the ground.  Spidey leaped over and delivered a forceful kick before Shocker could stand up.

"And that's a wrap," Spider-Man said as he webbed up Shocker next to Rhino.

"Pun intended?" Daredevil asked.

"Of course.  You feeling okay?"

"I'll be alright.  I _did _do most of the fighting, though."

"Uhh… Yeah, sorry about that."

"Once I catch my breath, we go after that vermin, Kingpin.  He's not going to be ruler of the mob for much longer."  Daredevil clenched his fists and jaw with the thought of the large powerful figure sitting at his desk without any worry.

"Take your time, Daredevil.  I have a feeling we're going to need a lot of energy for the upcoming fight."  Spider-Man took a deep breath and exhaled.  "I can't wait to see that scum bag go down."

Sitting in his inherited mansion, Harry Osborn watched the evening news and squinted when he saw the image of Spider-Man appear.  The red and blue hero was fighting the Rhino and Shocker.

"I know that's you, Peter," Harry whispered to himself.  "I know you've been lying to me.  You've been deceiving me.  Why, Peter?  I thought we were best friends?  I need to think.  I need help.  The Green Goblin will help me!  He's helped me before.  Maybe he can help me again.  He can bring MJ back to me.  MJ and my father!"

Harry got up from his chair and left the living room.  It was time for him to find the Green Goblin again.

Next:  Empire's End


	3. The Beginning of the End

Spider-Man: TAS

Season 6:  The Final Chapter

Episode 3: Empire's End, Part I

The Beginning of the End

After finally convincing her Aunt to let her go, Mary Jane headed quickly to the Coffee Bean where she met with her best friend Liz Allen.  Mary Jane and Liz had been friends for some time, and with Peter off doing his spider thing, MJ needed someone her own age to talk to.

"Hi, Liz," MJ said while approaching her best friend who sat at a booth.

Liz got up and hugged Mary Jane.

"I'm glad to see you're okay," Liz said.  "After that whole Hydroman thing, I was afraid I might not ever see you again.  What happened exactly?"

They both sat down across from each other.  MJ wasn't "exactly" sure what had happened.  She hadn't actually been there herself.  Luckily Peter had clued her in on what went on with the clone, so Mary Jane could tell Liz about how Spider-Man came to the rescue.  MJ tried to keep it as brief as possible.

Once the explanations were over, Liz said, "Well, I'm glad you're okay.  Ummm… I have a big favor you ask you."

"Oh?  Well we've been friends a long time, I'm sure I can do you a favor."

"I kind of need a place to stay."  Liz looked down at the table.  She didn't like having to ask this of her best friend, but she no longer had anywhere else to sleep at the present.

"What?"  MJ was shocked.  "What happened with you and Harry?"

"We had a fight."  Tears started to slowly run down her cheek.  "He kicked me out and said some awful things and… and…" She was crying so hard now that anything else she said after that second "and" was incomprehensible to MJ.

Mary Jane moved around to the other bench on which her friend sat and comforted Liz.  MJ was now determined to help her friend in any way she possibly could.  _Just because I don't have super powers like my wall-crawling husband_, she thought, _doesn't mean I can't help people out._

"Sing us a song, you're the piano man," Spider-Man sang out.  "Sing us a song tonight.  'Cause we're all in the mood for…"

"…you to shut up," Daredevil ended Spidey's horrible singing.  "Since I first met you, every time I've been within hearing distance of you, which is pretty far for me, I don't think I've gone an entire minute without hearing your voice."

Both heroes were swinging through the city hundreds of feet above the New York City's very populated streets.  Spider-Man was obviously using his web and the blind lawyer now in his Daredevil disguise was swinging via his billy club, which a rope would shoot out of.

"So—what?—are you saying you want me to shut up?" Spidey said in his best "you really hurt my feelings, there" voice.

"No.  But I am implying it," replied Daredevil.

"I see how it is.  Fine I wont say anything.  No more wise cracks.  No more insisting that we hock lugies down upon the unsuspecting passers-by.  Nope.  No more of that from me.  From now on…"

"Oh, God!" Daredevil muttered to himself as he picked up his pace in order to reach the Kingpin's base of operations as quickly as possible.

"If you don't want to be my partner on this mission, you just say so.  I know how hard it must be to team with someone dressed as a spider; but then again, I have to team with someone dressed as the devil…  So I guess it's kind of a trade off, huh?  You know, I'm getting the feeling you really don't want to talk to me…"

"Shut up!" snapped Daredevil.

"Well you didn't have to be _that_ direct."

"No, be quiet.  I hear someone approaching."

"In the air?" questioned Spider-Man.  "How…?"

"Shhh.  I can smell her now."

"Her?"

"Yes.  No man smells like that."

Now that he was paying attention, there was a slight tingle of Spidey's spider-sense.  No threat was being posed obviously.  Spider-Man didn't have to turn his head to know who was quickly approaching.

"Don't worry D.D.  I know her, unfortunately.  You might say I'm her babysitter.  I think we should land on a rooftop for a moment."

The two landed and a second later the Black Cat was standing before the two red clad heroes.

"Umm…  Hi… Cat…" Peter was still uncomfortable about what he learned the other day when Black Cat had taken off her mask to reveal Felicia Hardy underneath.

"What are you two fellas up to?  A man's night out?" Cat joked.

"Not exactly," Spidey said.  "We don't really have time for this.  We have to get going."

"Spider, why are you avoiding me?"  There was pain in Felicia's voice as she said this.  "I missed you when I was away; I want to be with you.  You said we would talk later, but…"

"Not now, Felicia," Spider-Man said, a little more harshly than intended.

Black Cat had to push back tears.  Not only had the man she loved used such a callous tone, he also used her civilian name.  And in front of another costumed hero, as well.  Anger was starting to surface.

"Look, miss," Daredevil broke in, "I don't know what once went on between you two, but you really must discuss it later.  Kingpin must be stopped soon, and I need his help."  Daredevil pointed at Spider-Man.

"Kingpin!" shouted the Black Cat.  "I hope you don't mind if I join in.  I have a personal stake involved when it comes to Fisk."

"No, Cat," Spider-Man said, using Felicia's heroine name now, since he noticed how hurt she was before.  "I don't want you getting hurt.  Sit this one out and when we're through I'll find you and we can talk."

"No!" Black Cat shrieked in anger.  "You're not the boss of me.  I'm sick of you treating me like a child!  I want Fisk's head on a platter as much as you do.  So you're getting my help whether you want it or not."

Spider-Man sighed before he and D.D. took off with some unwanted company.

"Hey," Daredevil said to Spider-Man.  "Any help is good when it comes to the Kingpin, I guess."  He could see that his friend wasn't in a good mood.  "Look, she seems like the type who can handle herself.  She might be good to have tag along."

Daredevil was not only trying to convince his partner, but himself, as well.  He was afraid Black Cat might get in the way and for the first time in a while he was attempting to be optimistic.  Still, he couldn't help but smile because for five glorious minutes he hadn't heard Spidey's voice once.  It remained that way until they reached the building where Wilson Fisk sat at his desk and controlled nearly all the crime in New York City.  The three entered the building through the front door.

Mary Jane and Liz stood at the front door of Harry Osborn's mansion.  MJ rang the doorbell and a minute later Harry opened the door.

Harry smiled at the sight of his old love.  "Mary Jane… and Liz."  He frowned at the sight of the woman he had recently kicked out of his house.

"Harry, I think we need to talk," Mary Jane said.

"No.  I can't right now.  I'm busy.  Too much to do."

Harry started to close the door but MJ stopped it with her foot.  "Harry, we need to talk now!"

Liz just stood there looking at the man she loved with hurt eyes.  Harry sighed and let them in.

_No, you fool!_ said a voice in Harry's head.  _They hurt you.  They're conspiring against you.  Kick them out!  Get rid of them!_

"Shut up!" Harry shouted, gripping his head.

MJ and Liz stood by looking at their friend in confusion.

"Harry, what's wrong," Liz tried to comfort as she reached out with her hand.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!"  Harry smacked Liz's arm away.

"Harry!" snapped Mary Jane.  "I don't know what's going on with you, but if you need a doctor, than…"

"No, MJ, I don't need a doctor," Harry said in a much calmer voice now.  "Let's sit down and talk."

They walked into the large living room and all sat down.  Liz and Mary Jane took a leather couch while Harry sat in a large chair that appeared to be very comfortable.

"Harry, I'm beginning to think that you can't let go of the past," MJ said.  "Liz loves you and I know, despite what you think, you care about her, as well.  The relationship we had didn't work out because we're much more different than you think…"

_She's lying to you, trying to deceive you_, the voice in Harry's head surfaced again.  _You can have her back, Harry.  Just destroy Spider-Man!_

Harry shook his head and dismissed the strange voice before saying, "I know, MJ.  You're right.  I haven't been myself lately.  Liz," Harry turned to her and Liz looked up.  "I do care about you, Liz.  I love you.  You make me feel like I'm the most important person in a world of over six billion."

MJ smiled and looked at her best friend who was also now beaming.  Liz couldn't hold back.

"Oh, Harry," she said as she launched out of her seat and ran over to hug the man she loved.

"I'm so sorry for kicking you out.  I was ill at the time and I made a mistake.  I want to make it up to you.  I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

Liz let out a squeak of joy, for she suspected what he was going to say next.

"Liz, will you marry me?"

"YES!" She cried out before Harry had actually finished his sentence.

They hugged and kissed and hugged before kissing some more.

Mary Jane stood up and said, "I guess I'm not needed here anymore.  Catch you guys later.  I have a husband of my own to find."

"Thank you so much for all that you've done for me," Liz said.  Liz gave her friend a hug before MJ left.

"Hello, could you ring up Mr. Fisk, please?  We have an appointment," Spider-Man explained to the startled man sitting at the front desk.

The man picked up the phone and dialed a quick number while never taking his eyes off Daredevil, Black Cat, and Spider-Man.

"Mr. Fisk?  You… eh… you have some… guests…"

"Send them up," said the deep voice on the other side of the phone.

"B-but sir.  They…"

"Send them up.  I don't think I have anything to fear from them."

"G-go right u-up."

"Thanks," Spidey said.

The three heroes took the elevator up to the top floor and walked down a long hallway to the double doors at the end.  Through those doors man waited for the costumed adventures and held open a secret door for them to pass through.  Another hallway and one last hidden door in the building, which was much more like a labyrinth for security reasons, led them to the large room where the Kingpin, a.k.a. philanthropist Wilson Fisk, sat behind a large desk containing several computer screens and keyboards.  Kingpin stood up to greet his guests.  He was a large, white (not black as some rumors on the street said) man with a cane that had what appeared to be a very large diamond on the top.  Most people had made the mistake of underestimating the Kingpin by believing he was fat and slow.  However, his obesity was due to a large quantity of muscle and his speed was faster than any man of his size should be.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of the talented Spider-Man, troublesome Daredevil, and beautiful Miss Hardy knocking on my door?" the crime leader asked the trio.

"Your recent attacks downtown," Spider-Man said.  "We're not letting you continue your crime parade while innocents are being hurt and killed all over the city.  You're at the end of your line, Fisk."

Fisk let out a long loud laugh.  "No, I'm afraid not.  First of all, if you're referring to the recent attacks by Shocker and Rhino, you'll be surprised to know I was not behind it."

"That's bull…"

"Cat!" Spider-Man shouted.  "Calm down."

Spider-Man had to hold back his ex-girlfriend (if fighting crime together and sharing lips occasionally counted as dating) because she looked as if she was about to lunge at the large crime boss.  She would have been killed quickly.

"Who was behind it, then?" Daredevil suspiciously inquired.

"I don't know," Fisk honestly answered.  He sat back down.  "Someone wants me out of the crime business.  No surprise there.  But this person is using my old weapons against me.  There's always someone who wants to replace me, but no one until now has been dumb enough to use the garbage I have wisely thrown away.  After the fiasco in Russia with my Sinister Six I discovered that they were all has-beens and could do nothing more for me.  I got rid of them and for some reason my new opponent thinks some of them are still worth keeping around in the business."

"They did a lot of damage downtown.  I don't know what he was trying to…" Spider-Man was cut off.

"They hit a couple of operations I had going on down there.  One ended up being unsuccessful," Kingpin explained, scowling.

"Well, that explains it then." Daredevil said.  "Your mystery adversary only wanted to stir up some trouble with your 'has-beens.'  I'm sure he's not through yet."

"Yes, quite.  But I'm sure it is in your best interest for you people to discover who this person is and I should think you'd want to do it quickly," Kingpin said.

"In a pigs eye," Black Cat said.  "We could just leave him to his business and hopefully you'll both destroy each other."

"No, Cat," Spider-Man said.  "We do have to help him."

"What?!" Black Cat said.  "You've got to be kidding."

"If we leave this mystery mob boss to do his dirty work, many innocent lives could be taken," Spidey explained.

"He's right," Daredevil agreed.

Kingpin laughed once again.  "You must love the irony, Spider-Man.  You're common wisecracks in the past have always given the impression that you love humorous happenstances."

"Don't worry, Fisk.  We'll be back for you.  Hopefully your opponent will take care of you before this thing is over."  Spider-Man ended his moral lecture and the three heroes exited.

The Kingpin leaned back in his chair broodingly.  He sincerely hoped Spider-Man and his friends would take care of his dirty work before he actually did get to the end of his line.

There was a knock at the front door of the apartment that Mary Jane shared with her husband Peter Parker.  MJ stopped cleaning to see who was at her door at ten o'clock at night.  When she opened the door a man who looked to be in his forties stood before the redhead.  He had a white beard along with white hair and wore a very expensive suit.

"Hello.  You're Mary Jane Parker, right?" the stranger asked.

MJ was a bit startled by the name.  She hadn't yet heard her last name as Parker.  "Y-yes," she replied.

"Hi.  I saw you at the film you were working on at Wonder Studios and when I realized that the movie was no longer being pursued that you would need a job opportunity.  Clearly, judging by the look of this place, you do."

"What do you want," Mary Jane barked, "other than to insult my standard of living."

"Look, I just think you would make an amazing model.  I would like to hire you.  Perhaps you could invite me in and we could discuss business."

"Who are you?" MJ asked, more intrigued now.

"I'm sorry.  My name is Roderick Kingsley, head of Kingsley International," the man explained.  "We're…"

"…one of the largest fashion designing companies in the world!" MJ finished for Kingsley.  She was astonished.

"Ah, so you've heard of us."  Kingsley smiled and asked, "Would you mind if I come in.  You really would make a wonderful model."

Mary Jane Parker invited her future employer in.  She couldn't wait to tell Peter.  Where was he, anyway?

Next:  Empire's End, Part II

Note to comic fans:  If you picked up references to an upcoming mystery, don't ruin it in your review for those who are strictly TAS fans! J


	4. And So It Begins…

**_EXCITING NEWS:_**  www.spideytas.cjb.net is up!  It has special features to go along with this series.  I recommend reading these there.  There are pictures and short video clips if you're able to handle the download.  I hope you enjoy the site and the rest of the final season of Spider-Man: The Animated Series!

Spider-Man: TAS

Season 6:  The Final Chapter

Episode 4: Empire's End, Part II

And So It Begins…

Three heroes sat brooding on the ledge of a building well over fifty stories.  The trio only sat about twenty stories up, however.  None of them cared much for the view at the moment.

Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Black Cat had all just been out smarted by the mob boss known as the Kingpin.  The large man had used their weakness of compassion against them and the heroes weren't taking the fact too well considering there was a good chance the Kingpin might get away once again.  There was no evidence against him.  None of the three had any ideas on how to catch the Kingpin so they now sat in silence thinking over the past few hours.  Finally one of them spoke.

"It's kind of addicting, isn't it?" Spidey asked.

"Huh?"

Daredevil and Black Cat looked up, startled by the broken silence.

"This superhero stuff.  It's addicting."

Spider-Man received two blank stares from his companions.

"The silence… it was bugging me," Spider-Man admitted.

 "We should pack it in for tonight," Daredevil said.  "We'll meet here tomorrow at nine A.M."

"Nine?  In the morning?!" Black Cat exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes, that would be the time of day A.M. stand for," Spider-Man mocked.

"I'm never up that early!"

"Then don't come.  We don't need you here," Daredevil bluntly stated before leaping off the ledge and disappearing into the dark night.

"If you want to talk, Cat, now's the time," Spider-Man informed his old partner.

"Spider…  What happened between us?"  Black Cat walked up to Spider-Man and took his scarlet hands in her own black leather ones.

"Things have changed, Cat.  I have…  I have another life, you know.  When we met, I had fallen into some tough times and being Spider-Man was all I had going for me.  Especially once I met you.  But now my life behind the mask has come back together.  Things have worked out and…"

"You don't have to explain any more," Cat cut in.  She lifted Spider-Man's mask and the two shared a passionate kiss.

_Why am I doing this?_ Peter scolded himself.  _Mary Jane is at home waiting for me and I'm out here kissing some… wannabe superhero wearing tight leather._

The kiss ended.

"I love you, Spider, and I know you love me.  Why else would you kiss me like that?  Don't deny the feelings in your…"

"The feelings within me are for someone else, Cat.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I kissed you.  I'm sorry I didn't end whatever we have left of a relationship a long time ago.  The spark between us that has been slowly dying just went out.  I won't kiss you again."

Tears were slowly making their way down the Black Cat's cheeks, but she didn't wipe them away.  She wore them with pride.  She was never ashamed for the feelings she felt for Spider-Man.

"If our lips ever meet again it'll be for CPR purposes.  But, you know, don't go hurting yourself just to try to kiss me again, OK?"

Black Cat laughed in spite of herself and she wiped her tears away, feeling a little better about the situation now that a joke had been made.

"This other woman… is she a kind woman?  Pretty?  Smart?" Cat asked curiously.

"You know what curiosity did to the cat," Spider-Man said.  The woman beside him didn't laugh at this so Spidey went on.  "She's all that and so much more.  You have now idea how much you've helped me.  If you knew the life behind this mask you'd know that your help in the past might be a vital part of me being alive today.  Thanks for being a great friend.  Hopefully we can continue to see each other… as friends"

Spider-Man held out his hand to Black Cat and after a moment's hesitation she shook the hand of the man she loved.  She heaved a sigh then, like Daredevil, dove off the ledge and swung off into the night.

"That wasn't as easy as it looked, Bruce," Spider-Man said, looking over at the gargoyle by his side.  "Don't give me that look.  It was hard!  Heh…  You know, Bruce, sometimes I think you're the best friend I've ever had.  Relationships are actually much more complicated than they seem on TV.  It's so black and white on television, but that's mostly because I can't afford a better one…  Ba dum, tch.  Yeah…  Anyway, I really care about Felecia.  Honestly.  But Mary Jane means so much more to me and I could never live with myself for having an affair as Spider-Man.  How dishonest would that be, Bruce?  My wife trusts me when I put on these tights.  I have to hold that trust."  Spider-Man paused and allowed everything he had just said to sink in.  Not for Bruce, the Gargoyle, obviously.  For himself.  He needed to make sure everything he had said made perfect sense, which it did.  "Thanks buddy.  That's the most stimulating conversation I've had all night.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have a beautiful redhead to entertain back home."

Spider-Man, like the two heroes before him, jumped off the ledge and swung off into the night, but unlike the heroes before him he decided to entertain himself with a tune very similar to "Sweet Home Alabama."

"Sweet home in the ghetto…" Spider-Man's voice cried out.  The tune was familiar but incredibly out of key.

Peter made it home safely, as he often managed to do.  He also made it home, which, by some miracle, he always managed to do.

He crawled in through his bedroom window.  The only light supplied to the room came from the hallway. Peter took off his now disgusting Spider-Man suit and tossed it to the side.  He then slipped on a pair of pants.  All this was done silently and no normal person (i.e. no super hearing or anything of that nature) could have possibly known he had arrived.  No one, that is, except for the person who constantly finds herself waiting for a man to crawl through the window late at night or early in the morning as the case often is.

Peter saw a gorgeous woman's silhouette in the doorway.

"I think I'm developing a spider-sense of my own," Mary Jane said.  She walked in and hugged her husband.

"That would be frightening," Peter answered as he kissed his lovely wife.  "Would that mean I'm transferring something during bedtime activities?  And if so, what would that mean for a potential baby?"

"Okay, enough with the dirty euphemisms and talks of children.  We can worry about your protégé later."

Peter laughed, then MJ did the same.  

"I got a visit from a man named Roderick Kingsley," MJ continued.

"The owner of Kingsley International?" Peter inquired 

"Exactly.  He offered me a modeling job!" MJ said excitedly as she grabbed the different parts of Peter's costume carelessly strewn across the bedroom floor.

"That's excellent.  How did he know you?"  Peter was now getting out of the pants he had just put on now that his wife was getting ready for bed.

"He saw my work at wonder studios," MJ said as she picked up a scarlet glove, the last remaining piece of the costume.

"Oh, don't bother washing that tonight," Peter immediately said once he was conscience of his wife's actions.

"But it's…"

"Disgusting, yes.  But it'll never be dry before tomorrow morning."

"But your spare is almost dry now.  I washed that earlier.  I'm just going to toss this in the wash room and I'll wash it tomorrow."

Mary Jane left the room as Peter crawled into bed.  He winced at some aches and pains left over from earlier but he managed to ease himself down into a comfortable position.

When MJ returned Peter said, "MJ, you're the greatest."

MJ slipped off her nightgown and got into bed beside the man she loved.  As MJ put her arm over Peter, her husband winced.  She quickly retracted her arm but Peter caught it and replaced it.  She cuddled closer.

"Nothing seems to hurt as much now.  What would I do without you?"

"What _did_ you do without me?" MJ asked lightheartedly.

"I don't know.  Aunt May always refused to sew and clean my Spidey suit."

MJ giggled.

"I have to leave at about eight tomorrow."

"So what are we going to do during the day?" MJ asked, though she knew perfectly well her husband was referring to A.M. and not P.M., but a little optimism never hurt.

"That, uh, is what _I'm _doing during the day," Peter said in a sorrowful tone.

"But it's Saturday!" MJ complained, again in a playful fashion.  She knew she was going to have to get used to this.

"Try telling the Kingpin that," Peter suggested.  "Seriously.  Maybe he'll agree everyone needs a break."

"You goof!"

The couple laughed once more before falling asleep.

When Peter got out of bed the following morning at 7:30 Mary Jane was awake.  She usually was when Peter got up early, but she rarely got out of bed herself.  She waited for her husband to leave before going back to sleep.

After Peter had eaten a very light breakfast (don't want to eat too much before doing some heavy aerobatics) and had changed into his Spider-Man costume (minus the mask which he held in his hand) he knelt down by the bed to kiss his wife goodbye.

"Bye honey.  Thanks for the support," Peter said as he gave MJ a kiss.

"Bye.  Just don't die today!"  She joked but was serious.

"Do I ever?"  He joked as well, but immediately knocked on wood.  "Bye."

Peter whipped on his mask and dove out the window once his spider-sense told him it was all clear.

Daredevil and the Black Cat were waiting by Bruce when Spider-Man arrived.

"Wow, Spider, _I_ made it here before you!" Black Cat mocked.

"Right.  Are we ready?" Spider-Man asked.

"Yes.  Here's what I've gathered so far," Daredevil began.  "Someone going by the alias of the Rose has been trying to eliminate the Kingpin."

"And…?"  Spider-Man said.

"That's it.  People are being very tight lipped about the situation."

"So your previous statement was you trying to be funny?"

"Trying," Daredevil said in his usual monotonous tone.  "Not good enough?"

"It pretty good actually, but you should try talking like someone other than Ben Stein."

"What I don't understand," Black Cat cut in, "is why we just don't go after the Kingpin!"  She was flustered.

"Even if we managed to take down the Kingpin, nothing else could serve as bigger catalyst.  Every mob boss would be after the position Kingpin once held starting a huge gang war," Spider-Man said.  "Of course, to my understanding, the Rose is attempting to start one now!"

"Which is why the Rose is of primary importance right now," Daredevil said.  "Though I think it would be a good idea to inquire about this Rose to Fisk.  We should start there.  I haven't had a chance to talk to him since I learned the 'name' of his new adversary."

"Sounds like a plan," Spider-Man said as the trio jumped off the ledge and swung in the direction of Fisk's building.

"Knock, knock," Spidey said as the three heroes burst through the doors of the Kingpin's office.  "Nobody expects the hero inquisition!" Spider-Man jested.  Once no one laughed Spidey cleared his throat.

"Back so soon?" the Kingpin chuckled.

"Not for your delightful company, however," Spider-Man said.  "We have a question.  What do you know about a guy named Rose?"

Wilson Fisk leaned back in his large comfortable chair behind his expensive desk and said, "Nothing."

"I swear to god…!" Black Cat shrieked and started to advance but Daredevil grabbed her arm.

"Somehow I doubt that.  He's gunning for you," Spidey informed, "but I'm sure you already knew that.  It's going to be hilarious when you die as a result of you tight lips."

"I know as much as you do." Fisk said.  "If I knew the Rose's identity he surely wouldn't exist to be a problem today.  He has taken some of my best men to use against me and there is still talk among my men about getting employed by this Rose character.  Not so much any more, of course, since I tend to have a rather brutal way of silencing such talk."

The Kingpin's grin invoked nausea in the heroes as they could only imagine Fisk's favored method of keeping control over his men.

"The Rose, eh?" came an all too familiar voice from behind.  "What an intriguing topic of conversation."

The buzzing in the air hovered by all the heads as some light smoke started to fill the air.  Above everyone in the room was a man garbed in yellow and orange flying around on a bat glider.

"_Hobgoblin?_  How did you get out jail?!" Spider-Man exclaimed.

"You foolish hero, you never sent me to jail!"  This statement was followed by a loud cackle resembling a laugh Mark Hamil might make.

"That's not the way I remember it," Spider-Man protested.

"You sent that bum Macandale to prison, and he deserved it for soiling my good name and just generally being a stupid crook," the Hobgoblin explained.

"How did you get past my security?" the Kingpin finally asked.

"You shock me, Fisk.  Surely the great Kingpin knows there are spies amongst those who work for him."

Fisk's eyes raised in disbelief.  It was bad enough he was loosing men to the Rose, now those men were acting as double agents.  Fury rose within the great body of the Kingpin.

"One more thing, here's a little something from your good friend, the Rose!"

The Hobgoblin swooped down and dropped an envelope on Fisk's desk before taking off.

"Toodles!" The Hobgoblin yelled on his way out.

The Kingpin continued to wear his frown as he snatched up the envelope and started to rip it open. Then Spider-Man's spider-sense started to blare!

Next:  Empire's End, Part III

Things are heating up!  Are you ready for some excitement?!


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